Admin

Anne is the Deputy General Secretary of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, where she has worked for over ten years. Every day she advises members on problems with contracts, producers, broadcasters, agents, publishers and sometimes their fellow writers. Addressing issues early on and having proper union minimum terms agreements in place prevents problems spiralling out of control. When disputes arise she handles the Guild’s screen credit arbitration process.

Most disputes arise from badly written contracts, faulty communication and poor preparation before a project even begins: this is the main reason why both the TV and Film Committee have spent a great deal of time preparing guidelines for writers. Delegates will find copies of both in their conference information packs. If these guidelines are adhered to the time, money, energy and human resources wasted on messy disputes can instead go to producing well-written and good quality film and television.

Anne also organises campaigns (such as the international day of solidarity for the striking members of the Writers’ Guild of America) and works directly with the Guild’s Film and Television Committees and Executive Council, where policy is decided. She helps to organise lobbies at the Houses of Parliament with fellow entertainment unions (Equity Actors’ Union and the Musicians’ Union) and attends industry meetings and negotiations. She liaises with the press and media.

Before working with the Guild Anne worked in education, publishing, event organising and journalism. She has a degree in Philosophy and English from University College Cork.